


Good Company

by chaotically_cas



Category: The Outsiders - S. E. Hinton
Genre: M/M, mentions of dally & Johnny’s death, tw cursing, tw mentions of fighting, tw smoking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-30
Updated: 2021-01-30
Packaged: 2021-03-16 05:21:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29077014
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chaotically_cas/pseuds/chaotically_cas
Summary: Curly keeps Steve company
Relationships: Steve Randle/Curly Shepard
Comments: 7
Kudos: 9





	Good Company

**Author's Note:**

> Rare pair asf?

“Fuck you!” Steve shouted at his dad, slamming his front door and stomping down the concrete steps to his front lawn. 

He was beyond pissed. It was the second time his dad had kicked him out, drunk, this week. And to say he was absolutely sick of it was an understatement. He would have moved out years ago if he didn’t depend so heavily on the six to ten weekly dollars. 

He shoved his hands as deep into his pockets as he could, shivering in the cold and crisp September air. It was nearly midnight so he didn’t expect to see anyone, especially with it being like thirty degrees. 

He didn’t know where he was going, he didn’t feel like going to the Curtis’s so late. Sure he had done it before but Dar had a girl over, according to Soda, and Steve didn’t care much to be around whatever that might entail. 

Darry hadn’t brought many girls around but since Pony turned seventeen he’d been a lot more open to the idea. Steve guessed it was because he finally saw the kid as an adult.

So he started walking towards the lot. 

He found himself hoping deep down that maybe Dally or Johnny would be there like they used to. He knew it was impossible, that’s what hurt. He forgot they were gone a lot. 

He just didn’t wanna be alone. Which was odd for him because usually he would have absolutely no issue at all being by himself. He just felt like company. 

“Steve?!” he heard a voice call, almost making him thank the universe out loud as he turned around to see who it was. 

Curly Shepard. At eighteen he still looked as rebellious and chaotic as ever. 

“I don’t know where Pony is. Probably home” Steve answered with a sigh, not even knowing Curly’s question. 

“I ain’t looking for him” Curly shrugged, falling in step next to Steve on the sidewalk. 

The two had never really spent much time together, well, ever. So Steve was awfully confused on why the boy was walking with him. Especially without knowing where they were going. 

“Whatcha doing then?” Steve questioned, looking over at Curly, raising a confused eyebrow. 

“Don’t know” Curly chuckled “just walking around I guess. What are you doing?”

“The same.”

“Where are you going?” Curly pressed. If there was one thing to know about Curly Shepard is that he loved to talk. And boy was he good at it. 

“The lot” Steve replied briefly, still shivering in the cold, he began to wish he had brought a jacket. 

“Can I come?” Curly smiled, tucking his own hands into the pockets of his black leather jacket. 

“Uhh, sure?” Steve hesitated. It wasn’t that he was opposed to the Shepard’s company, he just found it odd. 

“What brings you out here so late?” Curly continued on like the two of them were the best of friends, “humor me?”

“Sure” Steve found himself laughing, there was something about him he thought “my old man kicked me out again.”

“Well shit” was all Curly said. 

“You?”

“Tim and I almost got at it again” Curly laughed. 

Steve didn’t know how from all he had heard about the kid, he was as carefree as he was. 

Steve knew Tim and Curly got in quite a number of big fights. Both verbal and physical. Steve assumed it was why he pulled all the crazy stunts he did. Or why he attached himself so much to Ponyboy. But Steve couldn’t blame him, he had attached himself to Soda. So he guessed the two of them had that in common. 

The two of them walked to the lot mostly in silence since it wasn’t too far from where they had met up.  
When they got there Steve leaned against a tree as Curly sat down against an old car door, rubbing his hands together and breathing into them for warmth. 

“You cold?” Curly asked, pulling a lighter out of his jacket pocket and striking it up. 

“Freezing” Steve chuckled, walking over from the tree to sit across from Curly on the ground. 

Curly lit the small makeshift fireplace on fire and they both leaned in closer to it to warm their hands.

As the fire grew slightly in size Steve couldn’t help himself but notice how the flames lit up Curly’s face. He seemed to have a permanent smirk resting on his lips and the same wild look in his eyes as the fire reflected in them. He was an interesting guy all right. 

“You gonna keep staring or…?” Curly teased with a smirk. Steve knew better than to get mouthy with Curly Shepard. Sure Steve had a smart mouth too but he didn't think anyone had anything on Curly, he said whatever he thought. Yet he still found himself walking back. 

“Or what?” Steve asked, raising an eyebrow as Curly met his own eyes. 

“Or I'll have to slug ya that’s what” Curly snorted in retort, taking a cigarette out of his pocket “want one?”

Steve just nodded and Curly flicked him a cigarette, they both lit it up on the fire. 

The two sat there smoking exchanging jabs and jokes for the better part of the next two hours. 

Steve had learned that not only was Curly good at making him laugh but he was pretty damn street smart as well. The kid couldn’t do math for shit but when Steve told him about his weekly allowance’ Curly made some real clever statements. It made Steve think. 

Curly has also told Steve a good bit about his life as well. Steve found out that Curly liked to sing and could steal a hubcap nearly as good at him. It made him wonder how they had never spent time together before. 

He figured it was because Curly only hung around with Pony or with Tim and the other guys in the Shepard gang. 

Curly had shared he didn’t like being the youngest in the gang, it’s what Tim understood least about him. Tim expected too much of Curly and Curly wanted too much more in life that he would care to admit. Especially to the likes of his older brother. 

“I think I better head back, Steve” Curly sighed, flicking his cigarette butt into the fire pit. 

“You going home?” Steve inquiried, not helping himself but to frown. 

“Yeah I gotta or Tim will have my head” Curly chuckled, standing up and wiping the dust off of his pants. 

Steve just nodded, he didn’t want to be alone again but he understood. They had that in common too. 

“Night Stevie” Curly teased, ruffling his hands through Steve’s hair, messing it up, as he walked past him. 

“Night asshole” Steve retorted with a laugh, he couldn’t help it. 

Steve scooted closer to the fire as the sound of Curly’s footsteps disappeared into the night, leaving Steve to reminisce. 

~ ~ ~ 

After a month or so the two of them meeting at the lot or walking there together became a regular thing. Even on nights where neither of them had reason to leave their houses. One might even go as far to say that Steve was spending more nights in the lot with Curly Shepherd than on the Curtis's couch. 

So there they were, walking side by side, arms brushing as they talked. 

“What the hell makes you think that?” Steve asked Curly with a laugh, looking at his new friend with an accusatory look. Like he was crazy. But Steve was pretty sure he was, in a good way. 

“It’s just a theory” Curly shrugged, his signature smirk written all over his face. 

“A theory? That the Beatles are all just one guy that moves very fast? You’re an idiot” Steve exclaimed, earning him a harsh elbow in his ribs. 

“I’m a genius” Curly grinned proudly. 

“You sure are something alright” Steve pointed out, shaking his head. 

“Yeah? Like what?” Curly wondered out loud, kicking a small pebble by his feet. 

Steve thought for a second. 

“I have no words to describe you, Curly Shepard” Steve answered honestly, a hint of humor in his voice. 

“Need a little help?” Curly offered, Steve knew it was a trap but he nodded anyway, for amusement, “what about; smart, handsome, funny, hot, awesome, tuff, coo-“

“Shut your damn mouth” Steve laughed, bumping Curly on the shoulder.

“Make me why don’t ya?” Curly hissed, shoving Steve back. 

Steve regained his balance and shot Curly a glare “how do you suppose I do that?”

Steve saw a nearly evil smirk pull itself onto Curly’s face as he stopped walking, making Steve stop as well. 

“Kiss me” Curly smirked, his eyes darting between Steve’s lips and eyes. 

Steve didn’t know what to say, his mouth hung open a bit in shock as he tried to search for the words he needed. He thought about calling Curly crazy but there was no use in calling him something he would take pride in. 

“Kiss you?” Steve finally repeated back, his head empty of all thoughts. 

“Kiss me” Curly stated again, this time more urgent, and this time Steve didn’t give it a second thought. 

Steve wrapped his arms around Curly’s neck and pulled him into a sweet but hard kiss. Steve felt Curly’s hands snake up his back and become entangled in his hair, making the kiss even deeper. It was absolutely perfect. 

Curly finally pulled away looking Steve in the eyes with the same beautifully evil smile as before “see? I’m not so bad, huh?”

“I never said you were, idiot” Steve smiled, pulling Curly in for another deep kiss.


End file.
